Emerald
by larkxsong
Summary: "Think of it this way, Rachel, Kurt's Toto, and I'm the Scarecrow, and those guys back there? They were bloody flying monkeys and Brody was a Winkie Soldier!" Finn looked grimmly at her. "You're Dorothy in a really messed up version of The Wizard of Oz, and you're the only one who can save Oz from another century trapped under the control of the Wicked Witch of the West." glee/oz


**Emerald**

by larkxsong

**Summary: Rachel Berry's life is flip flopped upside down on the night when her life was supposed to start. Now no longer a Broadway starlet, she finds herself travelling across the States, reuniting with several figures of her past, and living a dark and twisted version of the beloved classic _The Wonderful Wizard of Oz._ Rachel isn't ready to become the Ozian hero, let alone accept that the characters from the book are all real and reincarnated to the gleeks of her past. Still, with three helpful young men at her side, each seeking something stolen from them, and a sassy best friend serving as a personal guard, Rachel will venture to the mystical land of Oz and banish the evil Wicked Witch of the West before she can claim the Emerald City as her own.**

**But first Rachel must learn to _believe_.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Trees stretched overhead like long menacing fingers, black against the twinkling sky. Much like any other night in this bizarre world, the sky still held a emerald glow to it, as though the lights from the city of Oz expanded well up into the heavens and tinted it much like the glittering bricks of its buildings and towers. In the distance she could see the lime glow of the city, escaping the gaps in the leaves of the trees as they rustled and danced lightly in the wind.

It was quiet that evening in the dark forests of Oz, quiet in the haunting way that left your stomach queasy and your heart and mind uneased. Not a creature stirred in the ferns or beneath the willows, all seemingly dead in the nightly hours, but tales of beasts with glowing red eyes and fangs the size of a munchkin were enough to remind the girl that terrors lurked in the shadows.

Still, it was silent. Eerie and silent.

Tugging harshly at the wool coat hung over her shoulders, the young woman stayed confident, keeping her chin up and her eyes ahead of her, as she followed the slithering path of sunlight breaking through the overgrowth of the forest. Even in the night, the golden bricks shimmered like the brilliant stones they were, untouched by many a traveller's foot for many years now. She remembered the charming words of the good hearted witch as she instructed her on her path, a warm voice that reminded her of hot cocoa, and the comfort of a blazing fire in the hearth in the dead of winter, filling her every sense as she recited it to her safe, the plain and simple words that would guide her on her marvelous journey.

_Follow the yellow brick road. Follow the gold river to safety._

Nodding to nothing but the air, as though the witch was hovering lovingly over her shoulder, the girl trudged on, ignoring the twigs and thorns biting at her ankles, trudging through the darkness. In the moonlight, the silver of her sparkling slippers catching the moonlight even in the shadows of the forest's underbrush. 'Just a few more steps.. You'll make it.. You can already see the Emeralde City in the distance.' She reminded herself encouragingly as she followed the covered path, purging deeper and deeper into the darkness.

The moon was shrowded soon by the canopy of trees overhead and her vision was swiftly blinded in the process. Squinting against the darkness, the silver slippered girl thought she saw the outer wall of the city. Alas, there would be a heroine of Oz after all. With glee in her heart and a smile of triumph, she rushed towards the break in the tunnel of trees.

_Snap._

Caught dead in her tracks, she felt her heart rate pick up, a cool feeling filling every limb, causing the blood in her veins to freeze in a milisecond. There was a predator, not far behind. Swallowing the fear arising in her throat, the girl took slow and silent steps forward, her ears open to the noises around her.

_Snap, snap._

More twigs, and closer, and soon a rustle startled her. Without a care in the world, and throwing all caution to the mericless wind, the girl bounded forward, thrusting her legs with powerful speed as she ran down the twisted and slithered path. The Ozians were calling for her in song and praise to their God, their Great Oz, who promised to bring the heroine safely. With that song and prayer in her heart, the girl ran faster, hearing the warning calls of the flying monkeys in her ears, the crashes of their heavy bodies against the branches and leaves above as they were in hot pursuit of her.

A mouse caught ahead of several skilled cats, she felt all hope leave her.

It was in that moment that the girl flew out of the wall of leaves, into the clearing and right outside the holied green gates of the Emeralde City. The citizens cheering at the sight of the silver slippers.

With a smile of relief and happiness on her face, she bounded for the gates, slowly opening to greet the heroine. The first to ever make it to meet the Great Oz.

It was then that the purple cloud engulfed her.

A gasp an shriek was heard, followed by the panic of the citizens. But she could not hear nor see.

Smoke, thick and foggy, filled all her senses, filling her lungs and causing her to gag and cough, and stinging her irritated eyes. She wiped at them furiously, attempting to see through the fog. It only grew thicker, darker and blacker, until it became a figure. A long and bendy figure, slithering around her like a large cobra, circling its prey and going for the kill. Serpent like eyes, black on red, glimmered like rubies in the black figure, its head pointed upwards in a menacing cone shape. A witch's hat.

"No," she gasped, coughing and hacking against the powerful puff of smoke.

"But oh yes, my pretty... You've been stopped again.." The cries and shrieks of the citizens of Oz, those poor Ozians, mingled in the air with the animalistic shouts of the monkeys and the ear piercing and bone chilling cackles of pleasure from the snake before her.

A green face poked out of the blackness, the most frightening face she'd ever seen. Surely, the face of death, bending towards her and filling her every sight. She could not look away from its bewitching eyes or twisted smirk.

"Bye, bye, my pretty, pretty..._ Rachel_," it whispered in a voice more haunting than a Hallow's Eve wind.

The last noise heard that night before Oz fell to silence was a piercing scream, a plea for help from a young girl, and the sickening slice of a blade through a beating human heart.

And then there was silence.. Silence and the quiet dripping of ruby red blood against the silver slippers...

And with a great burst of energy, Rachel Berry gasped out, awakening from the same nightmare that plagued her every night.

* * *

The beeping of the alarm only needed to be rung once before Brody Weston reached over to smack the alarm. With a groan, the man twisted over in bed, lazy smile on his face, eyes halflidded and still sleepy, as he prepared to rouse his beauty awake with kisses. It was the same agenda, every morning, for the handsome boy and his girl since they started sharing a bed together. For almost seven years now he and Rachel Berry were happily together, meeting her freshman year at NYADA in New York City. He could still remember that day, in the co ed Showers, walking out to catch someone as she brushed her teeth with a solemn look on his face. The young man clad only in a towel ventured in conversation with her, and the more time they spent together, the more a spark grew. It was a long journey for them, Rachel still hung up on her high school sweetheart, but it ended well for them, and seven years later and it was his ring that she wore on her third finger on the left hand, and him she slept beside.

It was a blessing from above, and the man could only thank god he'd found her.

Twisting over in bed, a smile spread over his face, he was ready to lean down and kiss Rachel's face all over, until she woke with a groan and an annoyed look. It was the traditional morning for them, but this morning appeared to be completely different.

"Rach," he drawled as his body turned to face her, his voice trailing off to find Rachel upright and wide awake all ready. Her chocolate colored eyes were open completely, like flying saucers, in an expression Brody couldn't quite read in his sleepy state. Propping himself on an elbow, the young man rubbed his eye lazily with his palm, stifling a yawn. "You're up early.. Excited for the big show tonight?" He smiled up at her as he blinked the sleep away from his eyes.

That night would be the night Rachel Berry made her debut on Broadway. Years and years auditioning here and there, and months of waiting as the understudy in the Gershwin's production of Wicked, and Rachel Berry would finally achieve her dream. The girl can remember the day Brody, who had been promoted from ensemble to leading role as Fiyero in Wicked, had come home with the news that he'd gotten his love an audition for the show. They uncorked their finest wine, which they had been saving for special occasions such as this, and got drunk and had a night of fun before Rachel went into a training mode. It was a week after that that she went to her audition, singing the song that always seemed to define her, Funny Girl's "Don't Rain On My Parade", and wowing the cast directors.

It was weeks before she got the call, a call back and then sometime later official notice. She was in the ensemble, and played one of the Ozian women who sang a line in the opening song. It was a big moment for her, and she could distinctly remember all her NYADA pals coming along to cheer her on. Ozian Woman # 2. She never thought an ensemble member had gotten the amount of praise and adoration she had before on their opening night. A couple months after that and Rachel found herself also the understudy, the understudy of Nessarose. Not exactly Elphaba, but she had time to go before getting on top of the pyramid. For now, Nessa would do. But she had yet to make it on stage, to shine in all her glory in a more prominent role than Ozian Woman # 2.

That, luckily, would all change today.

"Don't be nervous, if that's what you are," Brody said a good ten minutes later, now in the bathroom adjacent to their bedroom, going through his regular morning routine. As he dragged a razor slowly down his cheek, he spotted the small glimpse of the bedroom in the glassy mirror. Rachel had yet to move from her sitting position. She hadn't quite answered him when he first awoke to see her wide awake, only nodding or shaking her head to anything he said. It wasn't entirely troublesome. There were many nights Rachel woke up like this, mostly before something big was happening. It happened during school when she was scheduled to take Cassandra July's classes in the mornings, the professor always tough on her, and then every time she found herself fortunate to audition on broadway. Brody figured it had every bit to do with her debut as Nessarose tonight.

"You're going to do fine, Rachel, honestly," he said soothingly as he put all his attention on not cutting his face. "You were born for this stuff." It was a long moment of silence before he felt thin warm arms circle his waist. Smiling, he straighted up from his bent over position, setting the razor down in the foggy water in the sink a moment, as he rested his hand over hers, crossed possessively over his stomach.

Rachel sighed, "It isn't tonight."

The young man raised an eyebrow before carefully looking over his shoulder at the short girl, her face hidden against the hot flesh of his back. "Then what is it?" he asked, slowly untangling himself from her hold and turning around to face her, half of his face still covered in shaving cream, though that was all but forgotten at the sight of her face. She was troubled, and sad, and Brody did not like it.

"What's wrong?" he asked soothingly, his hands cupping either side of her face, fingers brushing away long loose wisps of brunette hair from her face. She looked so heartbroken, so sad.

"I.. I had a nother bad dream," Rachel finally admitted, shivering slightly against him before she pulled him into a tight hug, hearing the air all but escape him from the surprise of it.

Careful not to rest his creamed face on her head, Brody let his arms circle her, rubbing her back slowly. "Again?" he asked. This was becoming a regular occurance, though Rachel did explain to him she always had this one horrifying dream, every night since she turned 16. She just had yet to tell him of what, keeping it dead secret to herself. He wasn't sure why. Rachel was emotional, and never really hid how she felt about things. Dramatics were a regular for her, but when it came to this... She restricted to herself, hiding everything she felt from him. It was the most unsettling thing about their relationship, how unwilling she was to open up to him about the dream.

When she nodded against his chest, he sighed, pulling back. Lifting her to sit on the bathroom counter, so their eyes were leveled, he let his sapphire eyes meet hers, seeing the freight and sadness in the chocolate orbs. "Now, now," he said softly, rubbing what appeared to be the moist tracks of tears from her cheeks. "You're awake, and safe here with me.. There's nothing to be afraid of," the man said in a low soft voice, as though speaking to a child. "You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you, right?" Seeing her nod, his smile grew more warm. "Then don't you worry. It was just a bad dream." With a kiss to her cheek, the man returned to shaving his face.

"We need to get ready, they want us there early today to rehearse. You won't have to go for the afternoon performance, but you might just want to watch one last time before you're up there tonight. I did that my first night as Fiyero," he began rambling off suggestions to prepare her for the evening, but Rachel's mind was far from there. Despite Brody's comforting words, and the reminder that it was just a dream, Rachel could never shake this dream off. She could remember the first night she'd had it..

It was a very normal day, December of her Junior Year. Kurt had been away at Dalton for so long, and it was just so nice to have him back for the holidays. So the night before Christmas Eve, with Mercedes along, the three had a slumber party at Rachel's where they watched classic musicals and talked all night about everything going on. New Direction's success at raising money for the poor was a huge topic, as well as the small Christmas party at Mr. Schuester's. Then came the sappy talk of boys, specifically Blaine Anderson since neither Mercedes nor Rachel had much going on there. Rachel avoided all talk of Finn, and the break up suffered after Sectionals. The talk was soon dragged out and they lay silent, watching movies.

The Wizard of Oz and Mercedes' sleeping breathing was all she could remember as she and Kurt lay huddled together, talking of Wicked and the original. It wasn't long, though, before Kurt fell to dream land as well, and a lonely Rachel stayed up for the finale, shivering when the wicked witch had Dorothy in her grasps and silently cheering when good prevailed.

When the television screen turned to black was when she fell asleep, and she first encountered the bizzare horrifying dream set in Oz.

She figured it was just the outcome of having so much sugar and watching The Wonderful Wizard of Oz so late, but when she had the same dream again the next month, and the following month, and so on.. Rachel was beginning to think there was something wrong with her.

She soon distanced herself from the beloved classic, one of her favorite movies and books of all time, and for a while even refused to listen to Wicked, all out of fear of the dream. But like clockwork, it hapened again and again, the same night, each and every month, like some sort of omen she could not escape.

It chilled her to her very bone, and she couldn't quite escape it.

"Rachel?"

She blinked, suddenly now realizing she was lost in her memories and thoughts. "Hm?" she asked quietly, looking at Brody in surprise. Her handsome fiance was all cleaned up now, fresh shaved, and looking as gorgeous as ever. She was truly a lucky girl, even if her heart still craved a dopey smile and tall awkward figure every now and then. That, however, was just a memory.

"I said are you gonna get ready? We need to be at the theater in an hour," he laughed at her absent minded expression, kissing her nose.

Rachel blushed, "Yes.. Yes, I'm ready." She nodded before pulling out her most winning smile. "Just give me a few minutes." With that, she shooed him out of the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day ahead, pushing the terror filled dream to the far reaches of her brain, not wishing to think of it ever again.

At least, not until next month when it revisted her.

* * *

Grand Central Station was packed to the brim today, though Will Schuester hadn't expected any less. Commute to NYC was always busy this time of year. It was November 23rd, only a half week from Thanksgiving, and the holiday season was well under way. The city had experienced an early winter, somewhat odd to many meteorologists and other specialists due to the lack of winters in the years past, and snow coated much of the city, the sidewalks borded my high walls of gray, dirty slush, and the streets spirnkled in salt and puddles all over. Still, no weather phenonmenon could stop the city that never slept from carrying on with itself, and that proved the same with the travel to the city.

Checking his silver pocket watch for maybe the umpteenth time, he looked nervously around. Trains were coming in, people were shouting, searching through the sea of faces for loved ones, tearfully hugging them when they found them. In his long black trench coat, the man, now on the verge of his mid-40ties, looked a lonely tall sight. He had been standing there for hours, since his early train arrived from Dayton, Ohio, where he had relocated with his wife, Emma, to teach at a Performing Arts High School. The man still lived and breathed Lima, but he'd grown out of it, and it had been many years since he set foot at McKinley, or even saw his beloved glee club students. After seeing the graduation of students like Marley Rose and Jacob Puckerman, he opened up a new chapter in his life, starting in Dayton, with Emma and their young daughter Elizabeth Rose Schuester. Liz was now only six, and visiting Emma's family for the holidays. He was only going to be gone a couple nights anyway, and the thought of reunion with his family made him wish the days would pass quickly. First, however, he must get past the first few hours he'd been stuck at this very train station.

"Where are they?" he muttered to himself, checking his old pocket watch again. It was a family keepsake, and one he had already showed Liz and informed would keep. Sighing, he ran his fingers through his curled hair, now speckled with gray in the light brown locks. He was getting old, and his thin wrinkled face showed. Double checking all platforms, he had yet to see a train come in from Missouri or California, where his two companions were coming from. The first should have been here by now, and the other just arriving.

Time was not of an essence to Will, however, and the more he waited, the more impatient he became. With a sigh of aggravation, he turned the other way and began towards the large front doors of the train station. "Bloody hell, Hudson, Hummel.. You two better be at the Gershwin tonight quarter to eight," he muttered to the wind as he entered the blistering cold outdoors of the city, blending into the savage sea of New Yorkers as they went along their way. Scorning the two boys of his first class of students, Will hailed a cab, ordering "To the Gershwin please, and make it quick."

This was the night that years of preparation, centuries of waiting, and many restless nightmare filled nights, would come to a triumphant end.

But first, he needed to get to Rachel, before the others got to her first.

* * *

The applause as curtain went down was loud, and filling Rachel's ears. She felt almost out of her body, every limb tingling and her head spinning in an uncomfortable way. The end of the afternoon show only signalled that it was getting closer and closer to the evening show, when Rachel would go up and make her debut outside of ensemble. She waited backstage, shivering in her chair, as the cast walked off stage, all smiles and breathing heavy from another great show. Brody was getting hugs from their departing Elphaba and Nessarose before going to reunite with Rachel. At the sight of him, she smiled brightly, pulling on her greatest poker face to hide the fear and nerves she had.

"Hey! You were fabulous, as always," she cooed, jumping into his awaiting arms. He was sweaty and hot from all the movement and being under the stage lights, but she didn't care. She hugged him anyway. "Great job," she whispered, leaving a gentle peck on his lips. Other cast mates were running off to the stage door to greet some of the audience members before going back to get out of their costumes and rest for a bit before preparation for the next show began. They would be in the theater all day, and food was just delivered for the actors to pleasure themselves with as they awaited the time to get ready for the evening show. "Are you going to go with the others?" she asked, nodding towards the stage door.

"Yeah I think I will," Brody replied, smiling. "I'm sure someone wants a picture with the scare crow." With a final kiss to her lips, the boy was off, bounding for the door to see his public. Sighing to herself, Rachel settled back into her chair.

"You haven't changed a bit," a voice broke her from her silent thoughts, coming off from behind. The voice was low and deep, but she could recognize the tone from anywhere. It chilled her bones, seeping into her very soul, and her eyes fell closed automatically as she recalled every single memory with that voice, and how it made her swoon with desire. Still, she made no move to turn to the intruder, because, really, that's all Finn Hudson was into her life now. An unwanted intruder.

"What? No hello?" he asked, pushing off of the wall where he'd leaned back. Rachel couldn't help herself, turning and opening her eyes to see him. The moment her eyes met his, her heart stopped. He was just as she remembered him, though with few changes that really showed how long it had been since she last saw him. He was still a towering giant, maybe an inch or so taller than she last remembered him being. It appeared he'd grown out of the awkward, looking more confident in himself as he stood before her. His shoulders were more rounded with muscle, more broad, and his face showed maturity. Perhaps the army was good for the dopey boy she once loved. His chin was drizzled with dark brown prickle, a thin beard that made him look more manly than she'd ever seen him. And his hair, rich dark tug worthy locks, were a bit longer than he used to cut it, curled and messy around his head.

He was almost unrecognizable, if it weren't for those warm and gentle brown eyes of his. They were always the same, not even a day wiser than the 18 year old boy that broke her heart all those years ago. Now he was a man, a 25 year old man, and he never looked as good. Messy, yes, but still so good.

His cold resolve seemed to all but break, the familiar crooked and sweet grin overtaking his face as he took the few steps his long legs needed to take to meet her, Rachel only now noticing she was standing. "Finn?" was all she managed before he engulfed her in a huge hug, one so tight it nearly knocked out all the air from her lungs. It was much like she always remembered, so warm and gentle and sweet. A warm embrace that always seemed to say "come here, and I will protect you." She couldn't help but melt in the warmth of it.

"I can't believe you're here," she finally whispered, closing her eyes to take in his familiar scent. Had he still used the same cologne she loved so much, even years later?

A chuckle vibrated from his chest as he released her, stepping back slowly to look into her eyes. "You don't look a day over 18," he commented as he looked her up, in the way an old friend would at a reunion. "You still look like the girl who left for NYADA.. But my god you've grown," the boy said, smiling at her sweetly. He took a long moment to look around. "And, look, now you're here. You must be so proud.. I am, for you I mean.."

Rachel couldn't help but blush. Here stood the very boy who had her heart all their high school careers, complimenting her and acting as though she were the big star between them. Ten years ago and he was the captain of the football team, the most popular guy in school, and the one she put on the high pedastal. Oh how the roles reverse.

"It's been a whle," she said, looking up into his brilliant brown eyes. They were so beautiful in the lighting of the backstage, she was well lost into them. For a long moment, they only stared at each other, and Rachel got that urge she'd had many times when watching him walk down the hall. All she wanted was to kiss the boy who'd single handedly broken her heart and suddenly mended it all together again by popping back into her life seven years later.

She was about ready to lean towards him, sure she saw him leaning down to her, when a voice broke the moment, tugging her harshly back to reality.

"Rachel? Baby, who's this?"

Blinking, she quickly took a step back, looking to where Finn now had his attention. There, no longer dressed as the scarecrow, was Brody, looking as confused as ever at the sight of the visitor. Rachel's brow furrowed, as if ready to call him out on his stupidity, but of course he wouldn't remember Finn. They only met once, and Finn looked far different than he did now. "Uh," she started, unable to find the words. She looked back at Finn, who seemed to catch the hint.

"Finn Hudson, an old friend of Rachel's," he said smoothly, walking towards Brody and extending a hand. "You probably don't remember me, we met once."

Brody's eyes seemed to narrow after it clicked. "I remember," he said, taking a hold of Finn's hand. Rachel could see how tight each man's grip was on the other, and she rolled her eyes as she realized a macho-down was about to take place. "Good to see you again, Mr. Hudson," Brody almost spat. "But, tell me, what _are_ you doing here?" He raised his chin to Finn, looking at him almost cautiously. Could he see the frazzled state Finn's unexpected arrival left Rachel in?

Finn could only smile back, looking so docile and gentle in his face though a vein in his neck signalled how tensed up his body was as he still gripped Brody's hand harshly. "Just Finn," he corrected, "And, mind you, I'm not here to see you, Weston." He turned to smile sweetly at Rachel. "I had only come to see Rachel. It's been long, y'know?" He grinned wider as he turned back to Brody, "Just wanted to see how she was."

In that moment, something very strange happened when Finn turned to look back at Rachel. It was only a split second, and the girl could've been just seeing things.. But she swore, in that short moment, that Finn's eyes glinted... Green..

As though there was an emerald hidden behind the dark chocolate irises.

Sucking in a silent breath of surprised, she just stared as Finn looked curiously at her and then back to Brody. The men stood there eyeing each other a moment before Brody seemed okay with this and they let their hands fall.

"Well, you've said your hellos, now Rachel and I have lunch to attend." He walked over to Rachel, slithering an arm around her possessively. "Rachel?" The girl blinked and turned to look up into the light blue eyes of her fiance, seeing his sweet and loving smile. She was almost sad it wasn't as lopsided and dorky as Finn's, but decide to ignore it. "Are you ready to go, hon?"

"Uh.." Rachel glanced back at Finn, seeing the slightly sad look in his face. Why did he have to resemble a puppy being kicked? Swallowing, she didn't tear her gaze from his, as if searching for the jade in his eyes again, but not seeing anything. "Uhm, yeah.. Yeah," she turned back to Brody and smiled at him. "Let's go." Seeing him nod and smile, she looked back at Finn, once more caught up in his smile and sweet eyes. "I.. I guess I'll see you around, Finn.. It was good to see you." She didn't express anything on her face, staying stoic as she looked at him.

Finn just smiled and nodded, hiding his disappointment at their reunion cut short. Turning, he stopped and waved at her. "I'll see you tonight, after the show," he whispered, smiling at her before glancing at Brody. And with one last smile, Finn was gone.

Rachel stood still after that, barely breathing until she felt Brody's hand on her elbow.

"Come on," he said, leading her away. She nodded and followed, only glancing back once where the strange encounter happened.

She must have been seeing things.. There was no way she saw green in Finn's eyes.

But still..

* * *

The lobby was filled, and Will felt the claustraphobic feeling of the train station seep beneath his skin again as he draped his jacket over his elbow. He squeezed the tickets and playbills gently in his hands, crumbling them slightly. To his dismay, neither Finn Hudson or Kurt Hummel made appearances since his arrival that early morning to the city. He expected more from the boys, especially with the dire situation at hand, but he couldn't complain. They would find Rachel eventually, or she would find them, and that was all that mattered. For now, he had to perform his duty at hand, and he needed to get to her as soon as possible.

Heart pounding against his rib cage, he took a careful look down the long corridors which lead around the theater. Somewhere a red velvet rope signalled no entry, and somewhere beyond there was way to the stage, where Rachel Berry would be waiting behind the curtains somewhere, preparing for the night of her life. Little did she know what else was in store for her that night. Swallowing, Will had to remind himself to stay calm and keep suspicion low. If he was going to sneak off to meet her, then he needed to do so without being caught.

Licking his lips, he was about ready to give up waiting on the other two and go forth with his plan, when he heard his name called throught he crowd.

"Mr. Schuester!" a soprano voice called, and relief washed over Will as he turned in time to see a familiar figure. Kurt Hummel had not aged, or barely did, and Will felt joy to see the student he hadn't seen for nearly seven years. With a grin on his face, he met him halfway across the lobby, engulfing his student in a quick hug.

"Kurt, I was beginnning to think neither of you would show up. You have no idea how glad I am to see you right now," he said quietly.

"Did you think I would miss Wicked for anything?" Kurt laughed, gladly accepting his ticket and playbill. He looked around. "No Finn?" Panic arose in Kurt. He knew his step brother would be late, but could he really be _this_ late to the biggest event of their lives?

Will grumbled, but said nothing. "She'll find him eventually, and with your help.. I need to get to her now. There is no time to waste.."

Kurt blinked, "And how do you honestly expect we get to her before the show? I think it's best we wait outside by the stage door when it is over."

"There is no time!" Will barked back, silently and intimately to Kurt. He calmed himself before saying, "It is time you put on an act, Hummel.. We can't waste time.. I fear the enemy is near. For tonight is the night and we must be first to get to her."

Kurt swallowed at his teacher. He'd hardly ever seen Mr. Schuester so angrily passionate about something, though he understood why. They had prepared for this many years, and this would be the last year Oz lost to the great terror of the West. They needed Rachel on their side, before _she_ got to her.

"Okay," he breathed, "Just tell me what to do, Schue.."

Mr. Schuester grinned brilliantly, the gears in his head already turning quickly with a mischievous plan.

* * *

The wailing of the ambulence made Kurt nervous, but he still played the seizure well, shaking and gyrating off the ground, foaming at the mouth and making freightening sounds. Really, if it weren't for the lack of time on their side, Will would have stayed to view it all, but the moment all the security guards were on this, and the crowd was making a huge fuss, he was gone, slithering past the crowd and beyond the velvet rope ristricting his way. Turning down the corridors of the theater, he left behind the scene, knowing he would have limited time before Kurt needed to fake being alright and everything would reset itself. Little time to get to Rachel, but enough for the task.

Few secruity guards were around, and Will ducked behind pillars and potted plants, anything to hide from them when they passed by briefly. He felt really skilled, much like a super spy, as he continued walking through the theater, until he finally found himself at one of the side doors to the theater, right by the orchestra. Many musicians were walking in and out, carying instruments, music stands, preparing for the opening of the show. Sneaking in by grabbing a music stand, he allowed himself to be directed by unknowing stage hands on where to set it.

The audience wasn't allowed in yet, which made the place empty except the crew and orchestra setting up. Whistling to himself, he slowly stepped backwards towards the stairs along right stage, waiting before sliding up un watched. His plan was working, and soon he was beyond the curtains, in a place he'd only dreamed about as a young man.

For a moment Will was lost in the excitement of backstage. Directors barking orders, actors running to and fro for help with make up and microphones. People thumbing through stage directions and scripts, last minute pep talks between friends, and light checks all going on. It was a magical sight. He almost wondered if this is what it felt like to be in Oz, surrounded by such magic. But shoving those thoughts aside, he knew he had a task at hand, and slitered through the shadows as he sought out Rachel.

Finding her wasn't hard, she was belting out "Don't Rain On My Parade" in her little corner. Ritual, he knew. She always sung that to calm herself. Slowly walking up behind her, he grinned and listened to the familiar voice, almost feeling as though he were back in Lima, listening to his star pupil.

All was going as plan, and he was ready to reach for her.. That was until a security guard stumbled upon him.

"You! You're not supposed to be back here!" Rachel whirled around, gasping in surprise at the sight of a large security guard taking a hold of a man, tugging him away. The man was gasping out sentiments, most of which she couldn't make out, but one look at his face and she knew exactly who it was.

"Mr. Schuester?" She gasped. Were all the men of her past making unexpected visits today?

"Ra," was all the man managed as he was tugged away, but Rachel was swift to stop it.

"Wait! Let him go! He's an old friend, it's okay," Rachel said. The security guard didn't seem to consider this.

"You are supposed to be getting started, he can wait until after. But right now no one is allowed on stage," the man bellowed, preparing to pull the fighting Schuester away.

"Wa-wait! I have an important message!" he barely managed, and Rachel swatted the man's arm.

"Release him! I said he can stay here. Unless you want problems with your manager for upsetting an actor, then I suggest you let him go," she said sternly.

A moment later and Will was released from the steal grip, falling to the ground as he gasped for air and coughed. Rachel bent down to help Mr. Schuester up, shooting the security guard a mean look as he shuffled away, leaving them alone.

Concerned, she looked the older man over before bombarding him with questions. "What are you doing here? You know you can't be back here! Why did you come here? Does this have something to do with Finn's visit earlier? What's going on here? Why is it that seven years later, my past is suddenly catching up with me!? I have a show tonight, I can't deal with all of this."

Will didn't have enough time to wonder how she kept talking off one breath. Shaking his head, he silenced her and opened his own mouth. "I didn't know Finn already came here, but that's good to know he's near. Listen, Rachel, I don't have much time, I need to talk to you about something.. Something very important, okay?"

Will was about to continue when there was a noise. His whole expression shifted and he narrowed his eyes. "What was that?" he breathed.

"Probably just a stage hand," Rachel said, rolling her eyes. "Mr. Schuester, what's going on?" The man didn't answer, looking around cautiously. "Mr. Schue?" She tried again, only to be shushed.

"Do you hear anything?" Will asked, Rachel rolling her eyes in reply.

"No, why?"

Will swallowed before looking back at Rachel with a worried look on his face. "Exactly.. Nothing. It's... Too silent.."

Rachel was about to scoff when she realized what he meant. There were no noises. No actors, no stage hands, no directors. Not even the orchestra. It was silently. _Deathly_ silent..

"Mr. Schuester?" She whispered, only to hear a crash from behind.

She didn't get to look before seeing the fear in her teacher's face, and hearing him whisper, "They've found her."

Looking down at Rachel in fear, he did the most unexpected thing. Pressing his lips firmly to her forehead, Will sucked in a deep breath before pushing her towards the stage. "Whatever you hear and whatever you see, Rachel... Run!" He shouted, turning away from her and towards the crash. With another shove at his student, Will ran forward, just in time to collide with something long limbed, dark, and hairy...

"Oh my god," Rachel breathed, eyes widening at the sight. Will flew to the ground, his back contacting with the wooden stage floor in a loud thud, the man groaning with pain. But that was not the horrific sight she was centered on. Perched atop Will, bearing long sharp claws, one dripping in warm crimson blood, stood something she'd never thought she would see in the flesh in all her life.

After all, flying monkeys were not real.

It was long and thin, its legs and arms well over four feel alone, the menacing claws like glittering scissors made from rubies. Every inch of its body was covered in thick wiry black flur, looking unkempt and dirty with dirt and gravel caked into it. From its head were two onyx horns, pertruding from its forehead and curling inwards like an oxen's horns, large fleshy bat-like ears with gray hairs sprinkled along the backside laying just beneath.

Worst of all on this grotesque creature was his face. It was very human like, with the snout of a boar, long and pinkish, the skin looking rough, with a ring hanging from the nostrils. The eyes were large and rounded, looking blood shot, the white of its eyes tinted a sickening yellow, and the irises a deep red. Its lips were chapped and purple, large and curled back in a menacing sneer. From its back were two large webbed black wings, tethered at the edges and covered in silvery scars.

"Rachel... Run!" Will coughed out between gasps of air and choking on his own blood from beneath the creature, only to get his whole right side of his face sliced by those long scissor like claws.

Rachel glanced back at the scary creature to see its ruby eyes settled on her and not the bleeding dying man beneath its hand-like feet. A loud shriek, more disturbing than any sound she'd ever heard, like a sour note on a violin, rang through the back stage, and Rachel could hear monkey cries from above, more were coming. Turning to run, though, she found herself colliding with something hard.

Falling to the ground, she heard Will shout, "No!" from behind her as her eyes turned up to meet none other than..

"Brody?" Rachel whispered. The man just smirked down at her, dressed head to toe in his Fiyero costume.

"Hello, Love," he smirked.

* * *

Kurt somehow managed to escape the crowd of people when he heard the ambulence wailing outside the theater. Will was no where in sight, which meant he had to have made it to Rachel. Things were going smoothly, just as planned, and he needed to reunite with Rachel the second Will gave her the kiss of protection. He figured that part had been done, and, hey, maybe he could hang out backstage until the show was over and he and Rachel could escape NYC together. All was good, and all was well.

That was, until he found himself back stage.

Once he entered the theater, it seemed like the world had all but frozen, everyone disappearing.

"Hello?" he called quietly, looking around the dark theater room. "Anyone there? Yoohoo," he sang, slowly descending the aisle to the front. There was not a sound, no stirring, and he was beginning to feel fear creep up his spine, sending every hair on the back of his neck at attention, goosebumprs arising on his skin. "Will? Rachel? What's going on?" he called, brow furrowed.

It was a second later he heard the familiar shriek of a flying monkey and more shouts, followed by Will screaming for Rachel to run. Heart rate picking up, the soprano found himself sprinting down the aisle and onto the stage, thrusting the curtains aside and finding himself at the scene.

Will lay in a puddle of his own blood, thick gaping holes dragging down his chest where a monkey sliced him open with its claws, as well as along the right side of his face. Just when Kurt entered the scene, there was a shriek of terror from Rachel, kneeling on the side in a shivering bundle, as Will let out a low groan, a final groan of life, as a curved silver blade was thrusted into his chest.

Kurt felt the bile rise into his throat at the sight of Brody Weston, the man he knew had been with Rachel the past seven years of her life, standing beside Will, one foot on the man's chest, suspending his final breath, both hands on the spear of a Winkie Soldier of West Oz, stabbing him square in the chest to end the old choir instructor's life.

This wasn't how this was supposed to happen. Will was supposed to bless Rachel with the Good Witch of the North's kiss of protection and then Kurt and Finn were to be on their way, taking Rachel to meet with her other friends from Oz in order to banish the Wicked With of the West for good.

But no, that wouldn't happen. Will was gone. Killed at the hands of a Winkie Soldier.

A Winkie Soldier, who had long since been posing as Brody Weston.

"And so ends the life of the Good Witch of the North," Brody sneered, pulling the spear from Will's chest, the man's body falling limp as Brody kicked it aside and walked towards Rachel and Kurt.

Kurt glanced at Rachel, taking one step towards her before a spear was poked towards him.

"Ah-ah," Brody said with a dark smirk on his face. "Don't you make a single move.. Or I will chop you in half just like your good old friend Will Schuester over here." Kurt took one last glance at the bloody corpse before glancing at Brody. His blue eyes were vacant, hard like steel as he looked blankly at the man. He couldn't give him the benefit of knowing he had him scared. No, not yet. "You didn't think we would let you Ozians get away so easily with finding her, did you? Oz will have another martyr to add to their history. For my Queen and I will not allow you to prevail." Brody cackled in a sinister laugh, looking at Kurt with a mad and sick look in his eyes.

Kurt didn't speak, just looked at Rachel, motioning with his hand for her to stay still. "You and your Queen will never prevail," he finally said. "Oz is stronger than you, and this time we will destroy the Wicked Witch," Kurt said sharply. This only caused another mad laugh from Brody.

"You really think so? Look now, Ozian! You are outnumbered." From above, the monkeys shrieked, flying in a menacing circle over head. There were three, meaning four enemies stood between Kurt and Rachel. The monkeys were fast, and they could kill in a second. Still, the soprano couldn't loose hope, and his resolve did not waver. "My pets will be feasting on your flesh in a matter of seconds, and my queen will be here only minutes later to kill the girl," Brody smirked.

He glanced at Rachel. "I should say sorry, my dear, but I just don't care. You see, I've only been with you so long to make sure that when the coveted day would come, and you were to be found by the Ozians, well... We would be able to kill you." He cackled in delight, turning back to Kurt. "Any last words, Ozian, before I smite you and feed you to my pets?"

Kurt's jaw tightened but he only looked to Rachel. "Did Will kiss you?" he asked, ignoring the sharp pointed end of a spear being jabbed into his abdomen. Rachel sat still, looking utterly terrified, as it all happened, and Kurt had to raise his voice. "Did Will kiss you?" he repeated angrily. Rachel nodded, and Kurt let out a sigh of relief before turning to Brody. Rachel didn't follow his gaze, squeezing her eyes shut and clamping her hands over her ears. She didn't want to see it, or hear it, when they killed Kurt. It was already enough seeing Will murdered, now Kurt?

Kurt looked back at Brody, about ready to shout something in his face, maybe even beg for mercy, when he saw something, a familiar tall figure lurking in the shadow. Hope glinted in his sky colored eyes, a hint of a grin taking his lips a split second. Wiping his expression, he kept his face hard as he glared at Brody. "Yeah, I've got _one_ thing to tell you," Kurt said.

"Humor me," Brody said with a bored sigh.

Seeing Finn creep up behind Brody, raising what looked to be a heavy speaker above his head, Kurt nodded and let out a breath. "All I've got to say is that you're the worst Fiyero in the history of Wicked. I mean, come on, even Adam Lambert's falseto was less cringe worthy than you. A little shaky on that last note on Dancing, hon," Kurt said with a smirk. Brody sneered, clearly offended.

"Is that all Ozian?" He spat.

Kurt pursed his lips. "That and watch out for that flying speaker."

"Wha-" Brody didn't finish the sentence before a heavy speaker was colliding with his skull, a sickening cracking noise echoing in the backstage.

All Rachel heard was the crash of something heavy against something else and then she saw Brody fall to the ground. Widening her eyes, she let her hands fall before standing up with a gasp. Staring wide eyed at the body on the ground, she ran towards it, only to get stopped by Finn's strong arms around her and Kurt's voice.

"We need to go," he shouted between the shrieks of the monkeys. "They're getting in formation," he motioned to the three creatures in the ceiling. Rachel didn't glance up at them, staring straight into the lifeless blue eyes of the man she spent the last seven years living with. The man she loved, who just killed her professor and apologized for sending her to a death sentence.

"Rachel? Rach, can you hear me? We've gotta run," Finn said. The girl looked up into his soft gentle eyes, seeing all the concern in the world for them. Yet, for some reason, Rachel couldn't do what Finn was telling her to.

"Brody... Brody," she called out, waiting to wake up from this nightmare and for him to hold her hand.

Kurt was next to speak. "She's in shock. Here, allow me." Grabbing Rachel from Finn, he tugged her violetnly, pulling her off stage. "Come on, we need to go," he said sternly to Rachel, nodding to Finn following behind.

That was when there was the warning shriek.

"Run!" Finn shouted, and this time Rachel didn't ignore. With the image of dead Brody in her mind, she ran, holding onto Kurt tightly as they tripped down the aisle and glided out the back of the theater, shrieks and cries from behind echoing, as well as Finn continually shouting for her to run. Looking back, she watched as four large black creatures flew after them, in a hot pursuit.

Rushing out the front doors, she watched as Finn attempte to seal the doors shut as the monkeys tried to get out, one sharp claw sticking out between the stage doors and slicing his cheek.

"Finn!" Rachel called in reply, only to be pulled out into the wintery air by Kurt. She started crying the moment the other boy had her in a hug. "What's going on? What was that? Ozians? Wh.. What's going on? Finn... Brody... What's going on?" She wept against Kurt's shoulder.

Kurt sighed, rubbing her back. "To put it in short.. We're not in Kansas anymore, Rachel," he breathed, looking back just in time to see Finn running towards them.

"Let's go," Finn whispered, "We don't have much time before the Winkie guard comes for her.." He looked at Rachel, his face full of concern and worry, before dashing down the dark alleyway.

"Come on," Kurt said softly, "I promise we'll explain.."

* * *

Rachel kept her eyes glued outside the window of the cab. She didn't want to ask Finn if this was his cab or not. Then again, the driver information let that known. He wasn't the guy in the picture, so she decided to ignore it. Right now was not the time to pester him about the law, especially with all that just happened.

She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to remember it, but all she could see was Will bleeding on the stage floor, A large and freightening flying creature resembling the ones from Oz, and Brody, threatening Kurt's life and then dead on the floor. She opened her eyes to see New York zooming by, deciding to focus on that, rather than the strange events of that day.

It was silent, Kurt hugging her still, rubbing warmth and comfort into her arms, and Finn in the driver's seat, driving them around.

"When are you going to explain yourselves?" she asked quietly, catching both boys by surprise. She watched as Finn and Kurt exchanged looks in the rear view mirror. "Now would be a good time," she said impatiently.

"She's right, man," Finn said, looking back at Kurt, "go on and explain it."

Kurt nodded, looking at her. "This may be hard to believe, but... bear with me," he said, but Rachel snapped.

"You think? Because I can't think of a logical reason for those monsters, or Will, or Brody.." She whimpered. "What the hell is going on?"

"Rachel, listen, you.. We... We were once from Oz," Kurt started, but Rachel once more cut him off.

"No, try again, because that's not possible! Oz isn't real, Oz is fake! It's a story! It's nothing but a story! Now tell me the truth!"

It was Finn who answered this time, snapping himself and shouting from the front. "It is the truth! Believe it or not, Oz exists, and we came from there! And it's up to you to save it from the Wicked Witch of the West!"

Rachel shook her head, closing her eyes. "No.. No, it's not true.. No.. Please..." She whimpered, looking at Kurt.

"Well it is. Think of it this way, Rachel. Kurt's toto, your closest companion," The Soprano nodded as he lookedat Rachel and Finn continued speaking, "And I'm the Scarecrow, and those guys back there? Those monsters were bloody flying monkeys and Brody was a Winkie Soldier.."

Finn looked grimmly at her through the rear view mirror. "You're Dorothy in a really fucked up version of The Wizard of Oz, and you're the only one who can save Oz from another century trapped under the control of the Wicked Witch of the West."

Rachel was ready to protest, but looking in his eyes, she could see the truth and sincerity in them. She looked over to Kurt, hoping for him to reveal this all to be a joke, but all she as met with was the same look in his eyes.

"Rachel," Kurt started, but Rachel heard no more. Her vision blurred, Kurt becoming a mix of colors and soon it all turned black.

And with a great burst of energy, Rachel Berry fainted, eyes closing, a silent prayer escaping her to wake up tomorrow to something totally different.

And the first thing she saw when going under, was Emerald. A city made of Emerald.

* * *

_So this has been a long time in planning, including a whole summer of writing, scrapping, rewriting, plotting and planning and headaches trying to work every angle out, but now I'm ready to start sharing it with the world. This still isn't anything spectacular and needs a lot of work, but I will be working on this as I try to find muse to update Just a Kiss (it is not being abandoned just on hiatus). _

_I have been dying to do a remake of something within the glee world and make it somewhat dark. My first thoughts were on Wonderland but I felt that's already overused, so I decided to pick the next best thing-The Wizard of Oz. So after long months of thinking and plotting, I worked out this story. It's not my best work, I know, but I thought it would be fun to take a modern, dark, "glee" twist to the story of Oz and its many characters, and thus this was born. _

_In case you did not quite catch them- Rachel is Dorothy in this twisted retelling of The Wizard of Oz, a human girl destined to save the Ozians from the oppression the evil With of the West has put them in. She has been reincarnated century after century with the same duty and has always failed. Rachel Berry is the newest "Heroine of Oz" to step forward, rather unwillingly, to save the magical land from tyranny. Will Schuester is The Good Witch of the North, the first witch Rachel encounters on her journey. His job was to lay a protection spell on Rachel, one that would keep her safe from the evil that will come after her. Finn Hudson is the scarecrow, the first companion Dorothy runs into on the Yellowbrick Road in the original story. While we didn't get to see the "scarecrowness" of Finn this chapter, we will in the following and future chapters, I promise you. But our dopey glee boy is the brainless dope and Dorothy's closest friend from Oz. Kurt Hummel is none other than Toto, the adorable dog from the story. You may wonder what that means for our favorite Soprano, but I assure you his role is large. As Finn explained briefly, Kurt is her closest companion, confidant and protector. You will get a huge glimpse at a Hummelberry friendship in this tale, I assure you :) And then there's Brody Weston (and since I haven't seen much of him and the show hasn't premiered yet, please excuse if he's a little OOC). Brody is one of the Winkie Guards, the Wicked Witch's loyal henchmen._

_We'll see more gleeks and find out who their story counterparts are along the way. Some may be a surprise, some may be expected. You are more than welcome to submit a guess in your reviews, as well as a suggestion for a new Title if you have any (because this one sucksss)_

_Also, just a note, everything is Canon up until Season 3's finale. So whatever happens in Season 4, well... Just don't pester me too much about it because most of it won't be mentioned as canon in here. Some tidbits, yes, but not all._

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the first chapter and will enjoy the story. Please, don't be heavy with criticism. I honestly have been in a writing funk and this is down there with some of my most poor pieces I believe, and I haven't peer edited this. However, there may be a better edit eventually in the works._

_If anyone is interested in Beta-ing, let me know. _

_Anyway, this author's note has been long. I hope you enjoy, and thank you for reading! 3_

_Thank you,_

_larkxsong_


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